Charges Dropped Against X-Box Boys

Published August 24th, 2011

Wednesday morning two teens accused of plotting to murder another teen were cleared of any criminal charges.
The X-box Boys, 16-year-olds Christopher Rigiero and Paul Malnasi received the news in a statement by the State Attorney's Office. The teens did not have to go before a judge to hear the news during a scheduled arraignment Wednesday morning.
Prosecutors say there wasn't enough evidence to prove the boys were actually going to go through with any plans to kill another teen.
Throughout the recorded X-box conversation, the teens say the crime wouldn't be worth getting caught, and that they weren't serious.
The prosecution's statement includes an excerpt from that conversation in which, when pressed by a cooperating witness, one of teens says, "I don't know man, I didn't say I was. I'm saying, I'm thinking about it."
Rigiero's father told TV20, he was glad the ordeal is now over.
"We wanna thank the prosecution for going through this with a fine tooth comb to show that there was nothing substantial," Anthony Rigiero said.
About the torture kit that was found in Malnasi's trunk, prosecutors say witnesses confirmed that the kit was just part of a joke.
Rigiero stated the case was blown out of proportion by the media.
"My son is very sorry," Rigiero said. "It was a lack of judgment in his character, and of poor taste, and a joke, but that's all it was."
The attorney representing Paul Malnasi, William Ramputi, says his client looks forward to continuing class at Francis Marion Academy and pursuing a military career.